Leo breeding advice

[labmad]

Hi guys

I'm researching into breeding leo's in the future but don't appear to have seen anything as yet about introducing the male into the equation

Can you tell me what's the best way to introduce a male to the female and how long do you leave them in the same viv together........also is it ok to just put 1 male and 1 female together or are you supposed to put more than 1 female in the viv

Lastly......if I don't actually SEE any action between them, what are the signs that she is pregnant

Thanks guys

[katrinamw]

I introduced Mabel into Mack's viv, and left them together for about a fortnight (and witnessed the 'deed' several times!) then put her back into her own viv.

After about 3 weeks she started to get more 'triangular' in shape as her back end distended with the eggs. When I picked her up I could see the eggs through the skin of her belly.

I put an extra moist hide in as an egg laying chamber (filled with moist vermiculite), so she decided to lay in her normal moist hide on the sphagnum moss!

I would suggest though that you get your incubator up and running about 2 1/2 weeks after mating, so that she doesn't catch you unawares, like Mabel did me!

[labmad]

Originally Posted by katrinamw

I introduced Mabel into Mack's viv, and left them together for about a fortnight (and witnessed the 'deed' several times!) then put her back into her own viv.

After about 3 weeks she started to get more 'triangular' in shape as her back end distended with the eggs. When I picked her up I could see the eggs through the skin of her belly.

I put an extra moist hide in as an egg laying chamber (filled with moist vermiculite), so she decided to lay in her normal moist hide on the sphagnum moss!

I would suggest though that you get your incubator up and running about 2 1/2 weeks after mating, so that she doesn't catch you unawares, like Mabel did me!

Nice one, cheers......will def get the incubator sorted WELL in advance so when it happens everything is in place.......just in the process of making a list of what I'm gonna need to make my own incubator, but think I will do with a heat mat rather than an aquarium heater

cheers

[Great-Geckos]

The mating season is over now, so they won't mate until february. Its best also to check that they are both upto weight before allowing them to breed, which is around 50gms. If they have mated, you will probably see them as they aren't proud and they will do it over and over - so assume when they have, the female is pregnant. She will lay approx 17 days plus later - you will get to know the timeline by the female.
To introduce them - clean out the viv completely, give it a good scrub to remove odours of the previous occupant and put back the viv furnishings a different way so its unfamiliar if one lived there previously. Then introduce the new occupants to it at the same time. It is neutral ground to both then, observe them for signs of a real blue.
Through the mating season, it will preserve the female more if there is more than one female in there, then the males atention is not so focused.

[Faith]

Just to say that although breeding season is over there are people that breed all year round and it makes no difference to the leo if its june or january
Ours would breed if we didnt seperate them but we do to give both the male and the females a break

[labmad]

Cheers, great info thanks.......just researching though as I am not rushing, so want to know EXACTLY what I'm doing before I start, so maybe next year, if not then the year after......at least it gives me time to save up for breeding stock, as they can be pricey, as you'll know......also not sure what colours to breed, but will only breed 2 or 3 colours I think.....we'll see .....cheers for the help

Originally Posted by Great-Geckos

The mating season is over now, so they won't mate until february. Its best also to check that they are both upto weight before allowing them to breed, which is around 50gms. If they have mated, you will probably see them as they aren't proud and they will do it over and over - so assume when they have, the female is pregnant. She will lay approx 17 days plus later - you will get to know the timeline by the female.
To introduce them - clean out the viv completely, give it a good scrub to remove odours of the previous occupant and put back the viv furnishings a different way so its unfamiliar if one lived there previously. Then introduce the new occupants to it at the same time. It is neutral ground to both then, observe them for signs of a real blue.
Through the mating season, it will preserve the female more if there is more than one female in there, then the males atention is not so focused.